Puppylove doesn't tend to write articles often, generally only when a topic, or multiple topics reach a personal boiling point. Too bad there isnt a front page....read on as if it were.
I've been very vocal about college football, the game I love, and it's downward trajectory over the past few years, despite its popularity. Believe me, there has been many times when an article was warranted and Pup didn't have the time to opine. This time, pup has limited time and is fed up!
College football is going down a dangerous path. For instance the growing absurdity of the four–team playoff with five conferences (notably 2 SEC teams), Notre Dame and a non-power five representative, the constant negative Pac 12 narratives, the state of the power five conferences, the SEC, the media–driven (eSECpn), East Coast bias attempts to stack the playoff, the absurd scheduling of the SEC elite, the lack of competition in certain conferences, Joel Klatt, UW, the worst conference in 30 years ….I could go on and on, and I will!
Week zero, the pac12 is out of playoff race without playing a game. Seriously, that question arose. Then week one after the duck loss, even though UO was clearly the better team through 3 ½ quarters, the pac12 and Oregon are out of the playoff race according to media (according to Pup, if ducks win out they're firmly entrenched).
The pac12 is again out of the playoff week two when Washington loses to a very legit Cal defense, obviously one of the best secondaries in the country, and by one point…. In a bizarre game that went past 1 AM Sunday morning, with maybe 10,000 fans. If that game kicked off at 4 PM or stayed true to a 7:30 PM kickoff, Washington beats Cal by 10.
That layoff killed the pac12's 14 point favorite, dropped UW 10 spots in AP, YOU KIDDING ME?. Like to hear Klatt's opinion on that (more on him). No mention of how good Cal is by Pollack or ESPN, or AP voters; but they're on the SECeast coast. Just another loss in an afterthought of a power-five conference.
Let's face it, the pac12 has been out of playoff race for three years if one watches ESPN, which most of the country including the voters and media do. The Pacfudge will be out of the playoff race until we expand to pup's 6 – team model, which I laid out on hardcore husky four years ago… Because I knew this would be the result.
I said four years ago that Notre Dame would eventually throw a monkey wrench into the playoff, and kill UW. I was close, ND took the place of a power 5 conference, at the Big10's expense this time. Puppy close to spot on again.
At least Lee Corso has an objective bone in his body, and threw a life preserver to the pac12 by picking Utah for the playoff. God bless him! Guess the Pac isn't out yet, until UTAH loses to UW. I hope the committee and the media treats Alabama the same should they lose a game. That was sarcasm in case you didn't know. In reality Alabama would drop two spots, and get into the playoff with Georgia again, and with a pathetic SOS. Of course Utah would drop 10 spots, and go to the Holiday bowl should they lose to a ranked UW. UW was proof this week how 1 quality PAC12 loss results in cremation;)
Now to UW football quickly. Puppylove warned of a split between Cal and BYU after spring ball. I didn't see an offense capable of winning critical drives by the offense under Eason or Haener early in the season; and a worrisome defense with inexperience and quality at inside linebacker, the youth at interior defensive line, obvious youth at DB in the two –deeps. It cost us a victory as we saw on Sunday night at 1 AM; Puppy was spot on.
I beat into the ground the reality that you just don't replace nine starters on defense, or magically insert a savior at QB. Alabama has struggled in big games with their Savior Tua. If Alabama actually had to play a difficult schedule early, with a defense the quality of Cal's, they could very well lose by one point… But certainly wouldn't drop 10 spots. The AP is a disgrace as Cal will soon be ranked. If not for the weather delay, UW would be ranked 11th perhaps, now 23? Get angry! I
I've never seen a good team drop 10 spots playing a legit conference foe. The Pac12 narrative absolutely influenced AP voters. Uhhh coaches poll isn't objective either. All UW can do is win out. They wont, but 10-2 could get them into pacchamp.. although beating Oregon is easier said than done. 10-2 will get bid to playoff in other conferences. Either a 6-team playoff or accept this every year. Pac12 will never get respect until they have a fair path to do so through an auto 6-team path. Same one I proposed after 1st year of playoff
Provo was the venue I was most worried about, considering the elevation, quality of opponent under Sitake, the rabid fan base and history of BYU football, in early games especially, beating quality opponents. PLSS was ridiculed and laughed off the hard-core husky board, in spring and again in the fall after warning of the aforementioned and resulting early-season losses at BYU or Cal. Now I'm more worried about BYU, and I'm sure most of the previously uninformed UW fans are as well.
Will Washington get any credit if they beat BYU considering they just beat the piss out of Tennessee? I highly doubt it, as BYU just caught Tennessee and their vaunted “ SEC” defense on a bad day. Don't get me started on that SEC defense myth.
UW is a good football team, very physical at the point of attack on offense, the best tight ends in the pac12, a deep stable of running backs and wide receivers… But a QB who hasn't taken a snap in two years. Fans need to accept that and give Eason time. Too bad the other Jake left the program, we'll need him bad at some point… Sirmon isn't ready for live pac12 snaps
The pac12 is a deep conference, 5–6 deep of teams who can beat you on any given Saturday. No other conference but the Big Ten has that. The ACC has 1, the SEC has 4 maybe 5, the big 12 has 3 with explosive Okie St and mullet man.
Watching ESPN, specifically college football live and Gameday since week zero, the only conference that consistently gets mentioned for college football playoff elimination, at every single opportunity is the PAC12. When has Polak never mentioned the ACC for playoff elimination considering they are a 1 team conference. What if Clemson loses to pathetic Syracuse? Will they drop 10 spots? Yeah right!
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Did anybody notice the ACC's second-best team Syracuse get bumpounded by a low-grade Big Ten team Maryland over the weekend? Or the big 12 if Oklahoma or Texas loses a game? Well Texas just got beat by LSU, did Polak mention the big 12 for playoff elimination when their best team, next to Oklahoma, just lost? Like they did when Oregon “ lost” to Auburn? Or Michigan's narrow escape versus Army... didn't mention Michigan or the Big Ten being left out of the playoff? What about Tennessee David? Memphis vs Ole Miss? How about Mizzouch, South Carolina, and Vandy? How about Auburn's mighty unimpressive win vs Tulane...
Polak and Co. would rather focus on the pac12's two bottom feeders in Oregon State and Arizona, and their losses to a pretty good Hawaii team. Little mention of Colorado's impressive comeback win over the big10's other division's preseason favorite in Nebraska. Klatt did.
Let's talk about Alabama's only “ difficult” road game at Auburn. Auburn is the equivalent of ASU from the pac12, but I'd certainly take ASU in that match-up… I need not list the rest of Bambi's schedule, one of the easiest in the country. Imagine if Bama had to travel to Utah, Oregon, UW, or out of conference with any home and home opponents like Clemson, which TAMU just did. Wait a minute, Alabama is the only major power five team who doesn't do a home-home with anybody. And never really has. Oh, and they only play an 8–game schedule, with an FCS opponent before every difficult game.
Auburn, Georgia, other SEC powers are the only conference members who get away with playing a cupcake the week before a rival game every year; but that's how the SEC assures at least one team gets to the playoff, or 2 teams by eliminating the PAC via ESPN's help. If ND stinks because of their difficult schedule, the SEC gets 2 teams in at expense of either big10 or pac12. 2 years Oklahoma, with no defense, snuck into the playoff.
The big 12 has a Commissioner in Bowlsby who actually fights for his conference members, whereas the pac12 has Larry Scott, who sits on his thumb regarding football. He's more interested in increasing opportunities for women's soccer than getting his members into the college football playoff. Why Larry Scott still has a job is beyond me...I digress!
The SEC has the only major sports network as a backer, ESPN, who uses propaganda to elevate the importance of the conference. It's no different than the mainstream media's coverage of the Democratic Party. Control the mass media you control the people. That sure holds true in politics as well. Donald Trump being the pac12!
Nobody but PUP exposes the SEC for what it is. Pardon me, Joel Klatt does as well. He's clearly the best announcer in college football, and not employed by ESPN, but FOX sports so he can speak honestly and he does. If you haven't heard his exposure of the SEC you must BING it, it's worth the search ( Pup don't do Google). Joel said everything Pumpy has been saying for 10 years. Funny the parallel between CNN-FOX and ESPN-FOXsports.
Quickly to the ACC. Clemson and nobody else. The ACC is the worst conference I have seen in 30 years of covering college football. I think that's enough said, and if you do not understand what I'm talking about then watch a little more football, you'll get it! A 1–team conference, with an automatic bid to the playoff. I'd love to see Oregon or Utah play Clemson. You listening Larry Scott?
6-team playoff? Pumpy revealed his 6 – team model after the first 4–team playoff. I was perplexed how a major conference was left out. Then I said Notre Dame will take away a representative from a major conference at some point. That too was correct as we saw Notre Dame get pummeled in last year's playoff. Yes the pac12 has had a representative, but only 2 in its existence. The Big Ten hasn't sniffed the playoffs in two years. Is that fair?
My model was simple back then, a 6– team playoff with all five major conferences sending their conference champion, and one non-power five rep like Boise State. After all this time this model is now being mentioned consistently. It's coming, the question is how long will it take. If the Big Ten or the big 12 misses the playoff again, because of two SEC teams, the heat will turn up. Not from Larry Scott however. He doesn't really care if the pac12 is a representative or not. He has to realize how much money and exposure his conference will get. Fire Larry Scott now!
I'm excited to start watching this season unfold. For any idiot to exclude the pac12 this early is just that! There's a lot of football left, and every year the PAC has to fight off negative publicity. Oregon is certainly not out of the playoff, Utah is far from. The loss to CAL will certainly hurt UW's chances, but only because CAL gets zero respect from those on the East Coast, who control the narratives.
Don't jump ship, this will be an exciting year. Even for UW! I hate the BYU game, have for a long time. The one thing Chris Petersen has shown however, is the ability to bounce back. I hope UW squeaks out a win in Provo. The playoff is out of the question with a loss. The pac12 championship game however is not. Stay the course DAWG fans.
I can't stop laughing at this.
“3 1/2 quarters”last 9 seconds, and they may be out. And most likely are in the Ducks case.